Work machine management system and work machine

ABSTRACT

A work machine management system includes: a position detecting device to detect a position of a work machine traveling on a travel route; a non-contact sensor to detect an object in a vicinity of the travel route in a non-contact manner; map data to accumulate information on existence and a position of the object in the travel route on the basis of detection data obtained by the position detecting device and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor; a travel route generation unit to generate the travel route where the work machine travels; and an identifying unit to identify perfection of the map data.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a work machine management system and awork machine.

BACKGROUND

In a mining site of a mine, a mining machine may be made to travel alonga set travel route. Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology ofgenerating a route for a moving body to move from a departure point to adestination point.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.2001-124576 A

SUMMARY Technical Problem

In a case of making a mining machine travel along a set travel route,actual positional data of a mining machine is acquired by a globalpositioning system (GPS) or the like, and travel of the mining machineis controlled such that a difference between a target position on thetravel route and an actual position of the mining machine is minimized.However, depending on an environment of a mine, a time zone during whichpositional data of the mining machine is hardly acquired by the GPS orthe like may be caused. When the mining machine is made to travel duringsuch a time zone, correct positional data of the mining machine cannotbe acquired, and therefore, the mining machine can hardly travel alongthe travel route, and productivity in the mine may be deteriorated.

An aspect of the present invention is directed to providing a workmachine management system and a work machine capable of suppressingdeterioration of productivity in a mine.

Solution to Problem

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a work machinemanagement system, comprises: a position detecting device configured todetect a position of a work machine traveling on a travel route; anon-contact sensor configured to detect an object in a vicinity of thetravel route in a non-contact manner; map data configured to accumulateinformation on existence and a position of the object in the vicinity ofthe travel route on the basis of detection data obtained by the positiondetecting device and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor;a travel route generation unit configured to generate the travel routewhere the work machine travels; and an identifying unit configured toidentify perfection of the map data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a work machinecomprising the work machine management system according to the firstaspect.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a work machinemanagement system comprises: a position detecting device configured todetect a position of a work machine traveling on a travel route; anon-contact sensor configured to detect an object in a vicinity of thetravel route in a non-contact manner; map data configured to accumulateinformation on existence and a position of the object in the vicinity ofthe travel route on the basis of detection data obtained by the positiondetecting device and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor;a travel route generation unit configured to generate the travel routewhere the work machine travels; and a designation unit configured todesignate a first area having high perfection of map data or a firsttravel route having high perfection of map data and a second area havinglow perfection of map data or a second travel route having lowperfection of map data, wherein the travel route generation unitgenerates a travel route so as to cause the work machine topreferentially pass the second area or the second travel route on thebasis of information from the designation unit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a work machinemanagement system, comprises: a position detecting device configured todetect a position of a work machine; a non-contact sensor configured todetect an object in a vicinity of a travel route where the work machinetravels in a non-contact manner; map data configured to accumulateinformation on existence and a position of the object in the vicinity ofthe travel route on the basis of detection data obtained by the positiondetecting device and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor;a travel route generation unit configured to generate the travel routewhere the work machine travels; and an identifying unit configured toidentify an area or a travel route having low perfection of map data,wherein the travel route generation unit generates a travel route so asto make the work machine pass a travel route having, in the vicinity,the area having the low perfection of the map data or the travel routehaving the low perfection of the map data in a case where the positiondetecting device is effective, and generates a travel route so as tomake the work machine pass a travel route other than the travel routehaving, in the vicinity, the area having the low perfection of the mapdata or the travel route having the low perfection of the map data in acase where the position detecting device is not effective.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the aspects of the present invention, provided are the workmachine management system and the work machine capable of suppressingdeterioration of productivity in a mine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an exemplary management system for amining machine according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view to describe a travel route of a dump truckaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of a management device according tothe first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of a dump truck according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a hardware configuration diagram of the dump truck accordingto the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an obstacle sensor of the dump truck accordingto the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a detection area by a non-contactsensor.

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a detection area by the non-contactsensor.

FIG. 9 is a diagram to describe a method in which a travel controller ofa control system according to the first embodiment detects a positionand an azimuth direction during a GPS travel mode.

FIG. 10 is a diagram to describe a method in which the travel controllerof the control system according to the first embodiment detects aposition and an azimuth direction in during scan matching navigationtravel mode.

FIG. 11 is a diagram to describe a method in which a scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit of a position measurementcontroller of the control system according to the first embodimentcalculates a position and an azimuth direction during the GPS travelmode.

FIG. 12 is a diagram to describe a method in which the scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit of the position measurementcontroller of the control system according to the first embodimentcalculates a position and an azimuth direction during the scan matchingnavigation mode.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a part of map data stored in a mapstorage database of the control system according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a portion XIV in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is an exemplary flowchart of the control system according to thefirst embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an exemplary flowchart of step ST4.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary partial region of mapdata read into a storage unit from the map storage database according tothe first embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary detection result actuallydetected by a laser sensor of the control system according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary state in which the scanmatching navigation position calculation unit has calculated a positionand an azimuth direction of an own vehicle on the basis of a detectionresult actually detected by a laser sensor of the control systemaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating course data set in a second areaaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating course data set in the second areaaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method of creating map data of thesecond area according to the first embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limitedthereto.

First Embodiment

<Overview of Management System of Mining Machine>

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an exemplary management system 1 for amining machine 4 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan viewillustrating an exemplary mine in which the management system 1 for themining machine 4 according to a first embodiment is applied.

The management system 1 manages a mining machine 4. Management for themining machine 4 includes at least one of operational management for themining machine 4, evaluation on productivity of the mining machine 4,evaluation on operation technique of an operator of the mining machine4, maintenance for the mining machine 4, and abnormality diagnosis forthe mining machine 4.

The mining machine 4 is a generic term for machinery used in variouskinds of work in a mine. The mining machine 4 includes at least one of aloading machine, a hauling machine, a crusher, and a vehicle operated bya worker. The loading machine is a mining machine to load matters to beloaded on the hauling machine. The loading machine includes at least oneof a hydraulic excavator, an electric excavator, and a wheel loader. Thehauling machine includes a moving body movable in a mine, such as a dumptruck and also is a mining machine capable of hauling loaded matters.The loaded matters include at least one of earth, sand, and oregenerated from mining work. The crusher crushes discharged earth fedfrom the hauling machine.

In the first embodiment, a description will be provided for an examplein which a dump truck 2 that is a hauling machine capable of travelingin a mine is managed by the management system 1. As illustrated in FIG.1, a dump truck 2 travels at least a part of a hauling path HL leadingto a workplace PA and a workplace PA in the mine. The workplace PAincludes at least one of a loading place LPA and a discharging placeDPA. The hauling path HL includes an intersection IS. The dump truck 2travels on a travel route set on the hauling path HL and on theworkplace PA. An object is provided in the vicinity of the hauling pathHL. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that an object provided inthe vicinity of the hauling path HL is a bank BK. Meanwhile, an objectprovided in the vicinity of the hauling path HL may also be a side wallor an artificially manufactured structure. For example, an object mayinclude a metal or concrete.

A dump truck 2 is a movable body movable in a mine. A travel route isset in at least a part of the loading place LPA, discharging place DPA,and hauling path HL.

The loading place LPA is an area where loading operation to load amatter to be loaded on the dump truck 2 is performed. The dischargingplace DPA is an area where discharge operation to discharge a loadedmatter from the dump truck 2 is performed. A crusher CR may also beprovided in at least a part of the discharging place DPA.

In the first embodiment, a dump truck 2 is a so-called unmanned dumptruck that autonomously travels on a travel route on the basis of acommand signal from a management device 10. Autonomous travel of thedump truck 2 represents travel in accordance with a command signal fromthe management device 10 without depending on operation by a worker.Note that the dump truck 2 may also travel in accordance with operationby a worker.

In FIG. 1, the management system 1 includes: the management device 10disposed in a control facility 7 constructed in a mine; a communicationsystem 9; a dump truck 2; a different mining machine 3, namely, adifferent mining machine 4 that differs from the dump truck 2. Themanagement device 10 is installed in the control facility 7 of the mineand basically stationary, but the management device 10 may also bemovable. The communication system 9 performs radio communication fordata or command signals between the management device 10, the dump truck2, and the different mining machine 3. The communication system 9enables bidirectional radio communication between the management device10 and the dump truck 2, between the management device 10 and thedifferent mining machine 3, and between the dump truck 2 and thedifferent mining machine 3. In the first embodiment, the communicationsystem 9 has a plurality of repeaters 6 to relay data or command signals(radio waves and the like).

In the first embodiment, a position of the dump truck 2 and a positionof the different mining machine 3 are detected by utilizing a globalnavigation satellite system (GNSS). The GNSS represents a globalnavigation satellite system. As an example of the global navigationsatellite system, a GPS described above can be exemplified. The GNSS hasa plurality of positioning satellites 5. The GNSS detects a positiondefined by coordinate data of latitude, longitude, and altitude. Theposition detected by the GNSS is an absolute position defined in aglobal coordinate system. Using the GNSS, a position of the dump truck 2in the mine and a position of the different mining machine 3 aredetected. Meanwhile, in the present specification, the term “absoluteposition” does not represent a real position of the dump truck 2 butrepresents a highly accurate estimated position with respect to the realposition of the dump truck 2.

In the following description, a position detected by the GNSS will besuitably referred to as a GPS position. The GPS position is an absoluteposition and also is coordinate data of latitude, longitude, andaltitude. In the GNSS, a positioning state (accuracy of position) ischanged by influence of at least one of arrangement of the positioningsatellites 5, the number of the positioning satellites 5, an ionosphere,a troposphere, and topography around an antenna that receives data fromeach of the positioning satellites 5. The positioning state includes,for example, a fix solution (accuracy from ±1 cm to 2 cm), a floatsolution (accuracy from ±10 cm to several m), a single solution(accuracy of about ±several m), and a non-positioning state (impossibleto perform positioning calculation).

The management system 1 manages, in an XY coordinate system, a positionand an azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 and a position and anazimuth direction of the different mining machine 3 in the mine, and theXY coordinate system is defined in an X-axis direction inside ahorizontal surface and a Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axisdirection inside the horizontal surface. The azimuth direction of thedump truck 2 represents an advancing direction of the dump truck 2 thattravels.

<Management Device>

Next, the management device 10 disposed in the control facility 7 willbe described. The management device 10 transmits data and a commandsignal to a dump truck 2 and receives data from the dump truck 2. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the management device 10 includes a computer 11,a display device 16, an input device 17, and a radio communicationdevice 18.

The computer 11 includes a processing device 12, a storage device 13,and an input/output unit (input/output interface) 15. The display device16, input device 17, and the radio communication device 18 are connectedto the computer 11 via the input/output unit 15.

The processing device 12 executes various kinds of processing related tomanagement for a dump truck 2 and various kinds of processing related tomanagement for a different mining machine 3. The processing device 12acquires positional data of the dump truck 2 and positional data of thedifferent mining machine 3 via the communication system 9 in order toperform various kinds of processing.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a dump truck 2 traveling on ahauling path HL. The processing device 12 sets a travel route RP wherethe dump truck 2 travels. The travel route RP is defined by course dataCS. The course data CS is an aggregate of a plurality of points PI ateach of which an absolute position (coordinate data of latitude,longitude, and altitude) is defined. In other words, a trajectorypassing the plurality of points PI is a travel route RP. The processingdevice 12 functions as a course data creation unit that creates coursedata CS defining a travel route RP of a dump truck 2. The processingdevice 12 creates the course data CS to set the travel route RP.

The storage device 13 is connected to the processing device 12, andstores various kinds of data related to management for a dump truck 2and various kinds of data related to management for a different miningmachine 3. The storage device 13 stores positional data of the dumptruck 2 and positional data of different mining machine 3.

The display device 16 can display a map including the hauling path HLand the like in the mine, positional data of the dump truck 2, andpositional data of the different mining machine 3. The input device 17includes at least one of a keyboard, a touch panel, and a mouse, andfunctions as an operation unit capable of inputting operation signals tothe processing device 12.

The radio communication device 18 has an antenna 18A, is disposed in thecontrol facility 7, and connected to the processing device 12 via theinput/output unit 15.

The radio communication device 18 is a part of the communication system9. The radio communication device 18 can receive data transmitted fromat least one of the dump truck 2 and the different mining machine 3. Thedata received in the radio communication device 18 is output to theprocessing device 12 and stored in the storage device 13. The radiocommunication device 18 can transmit data to at least one of the dumptruck 2 and the different mining machine 3.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the management device 10. Themanagement device 10 includes: a travel route generation unit 19 togenerate a travel route where the dump truck 2 travels; an identifyingunit 14 to identify a first area having high perfection of map data anda second area having low perfection of map data out of regions in thevicinity of the travel route where the dump truck 2 travels; the storagedevice 13 to store map data; and the radio communication device 18.

The computer 11 has an input/output unit 15 used for communication, anarithmetic processing device having a microprocessor such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU) to execute a control program, an external storagedevice such as a read only memory (ROM) to store the control program, amain storage device (internal storage device) such as a random accessmemory (RAM) used as a work area of the CPU, and an external storagedevice (auxiliary storage device) such as a nonvolatile memory in whichdata is registered by the CPU. The functions of the processing device 12are implemented by the CPU reading the control program stored in the ROMand executing the same in the work area of the RAM. The functions of thestorage device 13 are implemented by the ROM storing the control programand also by the CPU registering data in the nonvolatile memory. Thenonvolatile memory includes at least one of a flash memory and a harddisk drive, and implements a database 13B. Note that a plurality ofprocessing circuits may cooperate to implement the functions of theprocessing device 12 and the storage device 13.

<Different Mining Machine>

Next, a different mining machine 3 will be described. The differentmining machine 3 is a mining machine other than a dump truck 2 andactuated by operation of a worker. The different mining machine 3includes: a processing device that includes a CPU and executes variouskinds of processing related to work content; a GPS receiver that detectsa GPS position; and a radio communication device that exchanges datawith the radio communication device 18 of the control facility 7. Thedifferent mining machine 3 transmits a GPS position of an own machine tothe radio communication device 18 of the control facility 7 at apredetermined time interval.

<Dump Truck>

Next, a dump truck 2 will be described. FIG. 4 is a control blockdiagram of the dump truck 2 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 isa hardware configuration diagram of the dump truck 2 according to thefirst embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view of a non-contact sensor 24 ofthe dump truck 2 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a planview illustrating a detection area by a laser sensor 24B of thenon-contact sensor 24. FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a detectionarea by the laser sensor 24B of the non-contact sensor 24.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a control system 30 includes at least a travelcontroller 20, a travel route determination device 32, a scan matchingnavigation position measurement controller 33, and a safety controller40. Furthermore, the travel controller 20 can receive signals from agyro sensor 26 and a speed sensor 27. The travel route determinationdevice 32 can receive signals from a GPS receiver 31 and a radiocommunication device 34. The scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 can receive signals or data from thenon-contact sensor 24 and a map storage database 36. The safetycontroller 40 can receive a signal from the non-contact sensor 24.Additionally, the scan matching navigation position measurementcontroller 33 includes a determination unit 33A, a scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit 33B, a map data creation unit 33C,a storage unit 33D, a diagnosis unit 33E, an observation pointcoordinate conversion unit 38, and an observation point availabilitydetermination unit 39.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a dump truck 2 includes a vehicle body 21, avessel 22, wheels 23, the non-contact sensor 24, and the control system30. The vehicle body 21 is provided with an engine 2E like a dieselengine, a generator 2G actuated by the engine 2E, and an electric motor23M actuated by electric power generated by the generator 2G. The wheels23 include front wheels 23F and rear wheels 23R. The rear wheels 23R aredriven by the electric motor 23M. Meanwhile, power of the engine 2E maybe transmitted to the rear wheels 23R via a transmission including atorque converter. Additionally, the vehicle body 21 is provided with asteering device 2S to steer the front wheels 23F. The vessel 22 isloaded with matters to be loaded by a loading machine. In dischargingwork, the vessel 22 is lifted and the loaded matters are discharged fromthe vessel 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the non-contact sensor 24 is disposed at alower portion of a front portion of the vehicle body 21. The non-contactsensor 24 detects an object around a dump truck 2 in a non-contactmanner. The object around the dump truck 2 includes an object (bank BK,side wall, or the like) existing in the vicinity of a travel route RP.The non-contact sensor 24 functions as an obstacle sensor to detect anobstacle ahead of the dump truck 2 in a non-contact manner.

The non-contact sensor 24 can detect a relative position of an objectwith respect to the non-contact sensor 24 (dump truck 2). Thenon-contact sensor 24 includes a radar 24A and a laser sensor 24B. Thelaser sensor 24B has resolution performance higher than resolutionperformance of the radar 24A.

The radar 24A emits radio waves, irradiates an object with the radiowaves, and receives radio waves reflected at the object. Thus, the radar24A can detect a direction and a distance of the object with respect tothe radar 24A. In the first embodiment, three radars 24A are provided ina manner spaced from each other in a lateral direction of the vehiclebody 21.

The laser sensor 24B emits laser beams, irradiates the object with thelaser beams, and receives laser beams reflected at the object.Consequently, the laser sensor 24B can detect a direction and a distanceof the object with respect to the laser sensor 24B. In the firstembodiment, two laser sensors 24B are provided in a manner spaced fromeach other in the lateral direction of the vehicle body 21.

Each of the two laser sensors 24B emits a plurality of laser beamshaving different azimuth directions in an up-down direction (verticaldirection), and laterally swings each of the plurality of laser beamssuch that a beam irradiation area IAH of the laser beams is set at apredetermined angle in the lateral direction (horizontal direction). Asillustrated in FIG. 7, the two laser sensors 24B swing the laser beamssuch that irradiation areas IAH of the laser beams emitted from the twolaser sensors 24B mutually overlaps at a center in the lateraldirection. As illustrated in FIG. 8, each of the laser sensors 24Birradiates, with the laser beams, an irradiation area IAV inclineddownward from the vehicle body 21. The irradiation areas IAH and IAV ofthe laser beams are detection areas of an object and the like detectedby the laser sensors 24B. During travel of the dump truck 2, aninstallation position of each of the laser sensors 24B and anirradiation area with the laser beams are determined such that an object(bank BK) in the vicinity of the travel route RP is arranged in thedetection area of the laser sensors 24B. Meanwhile, an irradiation rangeof a radar 24A is also defined, but illustration of the irradiationrange is omitted in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The non-contact sensors 24 including the radars 24A and the lasersensors 24B are connected to the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 via a second communication line 37 controlsystem of the control system 30.

<Control System>

Next, the control system 30 will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram todescribe a method in which the travel controller 20 of the controlsystem 30 according to the first embodiment calculates a position and anazimuth direction during a GPS travel mode. FIG. 10 is a diagram todescribe a method in which the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B of the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 of the control system 30 according to thefirst embodiment calculates a position and an azimuth direction during ascan matching navigation travel mode. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustratinga part of map data MI stored in the map storage database 36 of thecontrol system 30 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is anenlarged view of a portion XIV in FIG. 13.

The control system 30 is installed in a dump truck 2. The control system30 causes the dump truck 2 to autonomously travel along a travel routeRP. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the control system 30 includes the gyrosensor 26, speed sensor 27, GPS receiver 31, travel route determinationdevice 32, scan matching navigation position measurement controller 33,travel controller 20, non-contact sensors 24, radio communication device34, and map storage database 36. Additionally, the control system 30includes a first communication line 35, the second communication line37, and the safety controller 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the travel controller 20, travel routedetermination device 32, scan matching navigation position measurementcontroller 33, map storage database 36, and safety controller 40 areconnected to the first communication line 35, and perform datacommunication via the first communication line 35. The travel controller20 and the safety controller 40 are also connected to the secondcommunication line 37, and perform data communication via the secondcommunication line 37.

The gyro sensor 26 detects an azimuth direction (change amount inazimuth direction) of the dump truck 2. The gyro sensor 26 is connectedto the travel controller 20, and outputs detection data to the travelcontroller 20. The travel controller 20 calculates an azimuth direction(change amount in azimuth direction) of the dump truck 2 on the basis ofthe detection data obtained by the gyro sensor 26.

The speed sensor 27 detects a rotational speed of the wheels 23 anddetects a travel speed of the dump truck 2. The speed sensor 27 isconnected to the travel controller 20 and outputs detection data to thetravel controller 20. The travel controller 20 calculates a moveddistance of the dump truck 2 on the basis of the detection data obtainedby the speed sensor 27 and time data measured by a timer built insidethe travel controller 20.

The GPS receiver 31 is provided in the dump truck 2 and detects anabsolute position (GPS position) of a dump truck 2. An antenna 31A thatreceives data from a positioning satellite 5 is connected to the GPSreceiver 31. The antenna 31A outputs, to the GPS receiver 31, a signalbased on the data received from the positioning satellite 5. The GPSreceiver 31 detects a position (GPS position) of the antenna 31A byusing the data from the positioning satellite 5.

In the course of detecting the position of the antenna 31A, the GPSreceiver 31 detects that a detected GPS position has a fix solution, afloat solution, or a single solution to indicate detection accuracythereof.

In a case of detecting any one of a fix solution, a float solution, anda single solution to indicate accuracy of a detected GPS position, theGPS receiver 31 outputs, together with accuracy of the detected GPSposition, a positioning signal indicating a fact that that the GPSposition is subjected to positioning calculation. In a case where theGPS position cannot be subjected to positioning calculation, the GPSreceiver 31 outputs a non-positioning signal indicating anon-positioning state. The positioning signal or the non-positioningsignal is output to the travel controller 20 and the scan matchingnavigation position measurement controller 33 via the travel routedetermination device 32. In the first embodiment, in a case whereaccuracy of a GPS position is a fix solution, the dump truck 2 canperform autonomous travel on the basis of the detected GPS position. Ina case where accuracy of a GPS position is a float solution and a singlesolution or in a case where a GPS position cannot be subjected topositioning calculation, the dump truck 2 cannot autonomously travel onthe basis of the detected GPS position.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the travel route determination device 32 isconnected to the radio communication device 34 to which an antenna 34Ais connected. The radio communication device 34 can receive a commandsignal or data transmitted from at least one of the management device 10and a different mining machine 4 other than the own vehicle. The miningmachine 4 other than the own vehicle includes: a mining machine 4 otherthan a dump truck 2, such as a boring machine, an excavating machine, aloading machine, a hauling machine, and a vehicle operated by a worker;and a dump truck 2 other than the own vehicle.

The radio communication device 34 receives a command signal transmittedfrom the radio communication device 18 of the control facility 7 andoutputs the same to the travel controller 20 and the scan matchingnavigation position measurement controller 33 via the travel routedetermination device 32. The command signal includes travel conditiondata indicating travel conditions of the dump truck that is the ownvehicle. The travel condition data includes course data generated by theprocessing device 12 and travel speed data of the dump truck 2. Thecourse data of the own vehicle is defined in the XY coordinate system.The travel route determination device 32 receives the course data fromthe radio communication device 34 and stores the same in a routeposition storage unit 32A. Furthermore, the travel route determinationdevice 32 transmits positional data and azimuth direction data of thedump truck 2 that is the own vehicle to the radio communication device18 of the control facility 7 via the radio communication device 34.Additionally, the travel route determination device 32 is connected tothe first communication line 35, and transmits command signals tovarious controllers such as the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 and travel controller 20.

The travel route determination device 32 includes an input/output unitfor communication, an arithmetic processing device having amicroprocessor such as a central processing unit (CPU) to execute acontrol program, a main storage device (internal storage device) such asa random access memory (RAM) used as a work area of the arithmeticprocessing device, an external storage device (auxiliary storage device)such as a read only memory (ROM) to store the control program, and anexternal storage device (auxiliary storage device) such as a nonvolatilememory in which data is registered by the arithmetic processing device.The functions of the travel route determination device 32 areimplemented by the arithmetic processing device reading the controlprogram stored in the external storage device and executing the same inthe work area of the main storage device. The route position storageunit 32A is implemented by an external storage device and an externalstorage device. The external storage device includes at least one of aflash memory and a hard disk drive. Note that the functions of thetravel route determination device 32 may also be implemented bycooperation of a plurality of processing circuits.

<Travel Controller>

The travel controller 20 includes a central processing unit (CPU), aread only memory (ROM) to store a control program, a random accessmemory (RAM) used as a work area of the CPU, and a nonvolatile memory.As described later, the travel controller 20 receives positional dataindicating a GPS position of a dump truck 2 detected by the GPS receiver31 and positional data indicating an absolute position of the dump truck2 calculated by the scan matching navigation position calculation unit33B of the scan matching navigation position measurement controller 33,and causes the dump truck 2 to autonomously travel along a travel routeRP defined by course data on the basis of at least one of these twokinds of positional data.

The travel controller 20 acquires not only the positional data of thedump truck 2 but also azimuth direction data indicating an azimuthdirection (change amount in azimuth direction) of the dump truck 2,namely, detection data obtained by the gyro sensor 26, and travel speeddata indicating a travel speed of the dump truck 2, namely, detectiondata obtained by the speed sensor 27 in order to cause the dump truck 2to autonomously travel along the travel route RP.

In the first embodiment, the dump truck 2 travels along the travel routeRP in exclusively two travel modes. As illustrated in FIG. 9, a firsttravel mode is the GPS travel mode in which the dump truck 2 is made toautonomously travel on the basis of data of a position and an azimuthdirection estimated by a dead reckoning navigation using detection dataobtained by the GPS receiver 31, detection data obtained by the gyrosensor 26, and detection data 27 obtained by the speed sensor 27. In acase of causing the dump truck 2 to travel in the GPS travel mode, mapdata creation processing described later is executed, and map data MIcreated in the map data creation processing is stored/updated in the mapstorage database 36 as necessary. As illustrated in FIG. 10, a secondtravel mode is a scan matching navigation travel mode in which: data ofa position and an azimuth direction indicating an absolute position ofthe dump truck 2 is calculated by using a method called a scan matchingnavigation on the basis of the map data MI created/updated during theGPS travel mode and detection data obtained by a laser sensor 24B; andthe dump truck 2 is made to autonomously travel on the basis of thecalculated data of the position and the azimuth direction of the dumptruck 2. In the scan matching navigation travel mode, the data of theposition and the azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 are calculated bythe scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B.

The dead reckoning navigation is a navigation in which current positionand azimuth direction of a subject (dump truck 2) are estimated on thebasis of an azimuth direction (change amount in azimuth direction) and amoved distance (speed) from a known position. The azimuth direction(change amount in azimuth direction) of the dump truck 2 is detected byusing the gyro sensor 26 disposed in the dump truck 2. The moveddistance (speed) of the dump truck 2 is detected by using the speedsensor 27 disposed in the dump truck 2. A detection signal from the gyrosensor 26 and a detection signal from the speed sensor 27 are output tothe travel controller 20 of the dump truck 2.

The travel controller 20 generates a control amount related to travel ofthe dump truck 2 while continuing updating a current position of thedump truck 2 estimated at a predetermined time interval by using themethod of the dead reckoning navigation on the basis of a detectionsignal from the gyro sensor 26 and a detection signal from the speedsensor 27 such that the dump truck 2 travels in accordance with coursedata set for the travel route RP. The control amount includes anaccelerator signal, a braking signal, and a steering signal. The travelcontroller 20 controls travel (operation) of the dump truck 2 on thebasis of the steering signal, accelerator signal, and braking signal.

However, estimation of a position and an azimuth direction of the ownvehicle by the dead reckoning navigation is likely to cause an error dueto slight slipping of a tire or the like. In other words, when a traveldistance of the dump truck 2 by the dead reckoning navigation becomeslong, a large amount of errors may be generated between a positionestimated (estimated position) and an actual position due toaccumulation of detection errors in one or both of the gyro sensor 26and the speed sensor 27. As a result, the dump truck 2 may travel in amanner deviated from the course data generated by the processing device12.

In the GPS travel mode, the travel controller 20 corrects a position(estimated position) of the dump truck 2 calculated (estimated) by thedead reckoning navigation by using GPS positional data and azimuthdirection data detected at the predetermined time interval by the GPSreceiver 31 (for example, a direction indicating a line that connectscurrently-detected GPS positional data and previously-detected GPSpositional data can be used as the azimuth direction data), therebymaking the dump truck 2 travel while suppressing an amount of errorsaccumulated by the dead reckoning navigation from becoming excessivelylarge. In the scan matching navigation travel mode also, the travelcontroller 20 corrects a position (estimated position) and an azimuthdirection (estimated azimuth direction) of the dump truck 2 calculated(estimated) by the dead reckoning navigation by using scan matchingnavigation positional data and azimuth direction data calculated at thepredetermined time interval by the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B, thereby making the dump truck 2 travel whilesuppressing an amount accumulated by the dead reckoning navigation frombecoming excessively large.

As illustrated in a lower portion in each of FIGS. 11 and 12, the travelcontroller 20 sets, to to [msec], a cycle of estimating a currentposition of the dump truck 2 by the dead reckoning navigation on thebasis of detection results obtained by the gyro sensor 26 and the speedsensor 27. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 11, a detection signalindicating a GPS position corresponding to a detection result obtainedby the GPS receiver 31 is received in the travel controller 20 every tb[msec]. As illustrated in FIG. 11, a frequency of estimating a positionby the dead reckoning navigation is higher than a frequency with which adetection signal from the GPS detector 31 is received in the travelcontroller 20, that is, a frequency with which a GPS position isdetected. Therefore, every time position is estimated by the deadreckoning navigation several times, a GPS position is received in thetravel controller 20 and a current position of the dump truck 2 iscorrected, and therefore, an amount of errors caused by the deadreckoning does not become excessively large.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 12, positional data indicating aposition and an azimuth direction of the dump truck 2, namely, acalculation result of the scan matching navigation position calculationunit 33B, is received in the travel controller 20 every tc [msec]. Asillustrated in FIG. 11, the frequency of estimating a position by thedead reckoning navigation is higher than a frequency with which acalculation result of the scan matching navigation position calculationunit 33B is received in the travel controller 20, that is, a frequencywith which a scan matching navigation position is calculated. Therefore,every time position estimation by the dead reckoning navigation isperformed several times, positional data obtained by the scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit 33B is received in the travelcontroller 20 and a current position of the dump truck 2 is corrected,and therefore, an amount of errors caused by the dead reckoning does notbecome excessively large.

Meanwhile, according to FIGS. 11 and 12, adopted is the frequency withwhich a detection signal indicating a GPS position and positional dataobtained by the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33Bare received in the travel controller 20 every time the dead reckoningnavigation is performed several times, but a frequency of performing thedead reckoning navigation may be set similar to a frequency with which adetection signal indicating a GPS position and positional data obtainedby the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B arereceived in the travel controller 20.

A concrete GPS travel mode will be described with reference to FIG. 9.The travel controller 20 calculates a position and an azimuth directionof the dump truck 2 by the dead reckoning navigation, using detectiondata obtained by the speed sensor 27 and detection data obtained by thegyro sensor 26. Additionally, in a case where detection data obtained bythe GPS receiver 31 is received in the travel controller 20, moreaccurate position and azimuth direction are calculated by integrating,using a Kalman filter KF, the position and azimuth direction of the dumptruck 2 calculated by the dead reckoning navigation with the detectiondata obtained by the GPS receiver 31, and such position and azimuthdirection are adopted as current position and azimuth direction of thedump truck 2.

<Scan Matching Navigation Position Measurement Controller>

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 includes the determination unit 33A, scanmatching navigation position calculation unit 33B, map data creationunit 33C, storage unit 33D, and diagnosis unit 33E.

The scan matching navigation position measurement controller 33 isconnected to the first communication line 35, and acquires detectiondata obtained by the gyro sensor 26 and detection data obtained by thespeed sensor 27 via the first communication line 35 and the travelcontroller 20. Additionally, the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 is connected to the GPS receiver 31 via theradio communication device 34, travel route determination device 32, andfirst communication line 35, and acquires detection data obtained by theGPS receiver 31.

The determination unit 33A determines whether accuracy of a GPS positiondetected by the GPS receiver 31 exceeds predetermined accuracy. Forexample, the determination unit 33A determines whether a solution of aGPS position is a fix solution. In a case where a solution of a GPSposition is a fix solution, the determination unit 33A determines thataccuracy of the detected GPS position of the dump truck 2 is highlyaccurate (in this case, the GPS travel mode is selected as a travel modein the travel controller 20). In a case where a solution of a GPSposition is a float solution or a single solution, or a GPS position isa non-positioning state, the determination unit 33A determines thataccuracy of the detected GPS position of the dump truck 2 is lowaccurate (in this case, the scan matching navigation travel mode isselected as the travel mode in the travel controller 20). Meanwhile, thepredetermined accuracy is accuracy of a GPS position with which the dumptruck 2 can autonomously travel along a travel route RP by the deadreckoning navigation described later. In the first embodiment, the GPSreceiver 31 detects a GPS position and a solution, but another apparatus(such as the determination unit 33A) may also detect a solution.

When the determination unit 33A determines that accuracy of a GPSposition of a dump truck 2 detected by the GPS receiver 31 exceeds thepredetermined accuracy, in other words, determines that the accuracy ishigh (during the GPS travel mode), the map data creation unit 33Cdetects existence of at least one or more banks BK and a positionthereof provided outside a loading place LPA, outside a dischargingplace DPA, and outside a hauling path HL on the basis of a position andan azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 calculated by theabove-described method and a detection result obtained by a laser sensor24B, and stores and accumulates data on existence and a position of thebank BK in the map storage database 36 as map data MI of the travelroute RP as needed. The map data creation unit 33C integrates theposition and azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 with a detectionresult obtained by a laser sensor 24B, and detects existence and aposition of the bank BK by deleting, from the integrated data, detectionresults other than the bank BK (such as various kinds of noise, groundsurface, and the like). Also, the map data creation unit 33C performssaving in the map storage database 36. Note that the map storagedatabase 36 may be stored in the storage device 13 of the managementdevice 10. In this case, map data created by the map data creation unit33C in the dump truck 2 is transmitted to the map storage database 36via the communication system 9.

Map data MI illustrated in FIG. 12 represents a detection result ofbanks BK in a region around a hauling path HL. The hauling path HL isindicated by a blank region extending in an x direction and located in acenter portion of FIG. 12, and the banks BK are indicated by regionssparsely colored in black and white in an upper portion and a lowerportion of FIG. 12. As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, the map data MIindicates, in the plan view, a position in the XY coordinate systemformed of grids GR that section a mine by a predetermined size, and themap data indicates whether any bank BK exists in each of the grids GR.Each of the grids GR of the map data MI includes binary data (1 bitdata), that is, “0” or “1” to indicate whether any bank BK exists. Asillustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, in the first embodiment, when there is abank BK, each of the grids GR in the map data MI is indicated by a blacksquare as “1” in the drawing, and when there is no bank BK, each of thegrid GR is indicated by a white square as “0” in the drawing. Note thatmap data may be prepared not only as binary data having only values of“0” and “1” but also as continuous values from 0 to 1 (such as 0.5). Forexample, a value may be gradually incremented from 0 to 1 while setting1 as an upper limit on the basis of the number of times of detecting abank BK in a certain grid GR.

The map storage database 36 stores positional data of a bank BK as mapdata MI. The map storage database 36 is connected to the firstcommunication line 35. The map storage database 36 is an externalstorage device (auxiliary storage device) including at least one of aROM, a flash memory, and a hard disk drive. Every time the map datacreation unit 33C detects a detection result related to a bank BK, themap storage database 36 stores the same as map data MI. In the firstembodiment, the map data MI stored in the map storage database 36 isoverwritten every time the map data creation unit 33C detects a bank BK.The term “overwrite” means to change a value to “1” when a bank BK isdetected in a grid having a value “0”, and also means to keep a value“1” even when no bank BK is detected in a grid having a value “1”, butnot limited to this example, it may be also possible to change the gridhaving the value “1” to have the value “0”.

The storage unit 33D is a main storage device (internal storage device)having a higher operation speed than the map storage database 36 does.

When the determination unit 33A determines that accuracy of a GPSposition of the dump truck 2 detected by the GPS receiver 31 is thepredetermined accuracy or less, in other words, determines that theaccuracy is low (during the scan matching navigation travel mode), thescan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B calculates aposition and an azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 on the basis of: adetection result obtained by the gyro sensor 26; a detection resultobtained by the speed sensor 27; and a detection result obtained by alaser sensor 24B; and map data MI read from the map storage database 36and stored in the storage unit 33D. Meanwhile, the scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit 33B may calculate a position and anazimuth direction of the dump truck 2 by calling the map data MIdirectly from the map storage database 36 without using the storage unit33D.

As described later, the diagnosis unit 33E acquires detection dataobtained by the GPS receiver 31 and calculation data obtained by thescan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B. The diagnosisunit 33E compares a GPS position (absolute position) of the dump truck 2derived from the detection data obtained by the GPS detector 31 with anabsolute position of the dump truck 2 calculated by the scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit 33B, and diagnoses accuracy of thedetection data obtained by the GPS detector 31.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B calculates a position and an azimuth direction ofthe dump truck 2 during the scan matching navigation travel mode byintegrating, using a particle filter PF, detection data obtained by thegyro sensor 26, detection data obtained by the speed sensor 27,detection data obtained by a laser sensor 24B, and map data MI stored inthe map storage database 36. A concrete calculation method will bedescribed later.

Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the scan matching navigationposition measurement controller 33 includes the observation pointcoordinate conversion unit 38 and the observation point availabilitydetermination unit 39. The observation point coordinate conversion unit38 converts, into the XY coordinate system, a position of a detectionresult obtained by a laser sensor 24B and indicated by coordinatesdefined with a direction and a distance from the laser sensor 24B on thebasis of a position and an azimuth direction of the own vehicle. Theposition of the detection result obtained by converting the coordinatesby the observation point coordinate conversion unit 38 is defined by aheight direction (Z axis direction) orthogonal to an X axis directionand a Y axis direction in addition to the X axis direction and the Yaxis direction. As described above, the observation point availabilitydetermination unit 39 removes, from the detection result obtained byconverting the coordinates by the observation point coordinateconversion unit 38, the above-described various kinds of noise,detection results related to a predetermined height or lower from theground surface (ground), and the like. The observation pointavailability determination unit 39 outputs a combined detection resultto both of the map data creation unit 33C (used to create map dataduring the GPS travel mode) and the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B (used to calculate a position and an azimuthdirection of the own vehicle during the scan matching navigation travelmode).

The safety controller 40 determines a relative position between a dumptruck 2 and an object (bank BK, side wall, obstacle, or the like) on thebasis of detection signals from a radar 24A and a laser sensor 24B. Thesafety controller 40 outputs existence of an obstacle to the travelcontroller 20 on the basis of relative positional information withrespect to the object. The travel controller 20 generates a command tocontrol at least one of the accelerator, braking device 23B, andsteering device 2S on the basis of a signal acquired from the safetycontroller 40, and prevents the dump truck 2 from colliding with anobject by controlling the dump truck 2 on the basis of the command.

<Method of Determining Travel Mode>

Next, exemplary travel modes of a dump truck 2 according to the firstembodiment will be described. FIG. 15 is an exemplary flowchart of thecontrol system 30 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 16 is anexemplary flowchart of step ST4 in FIG. 15. FIG. 17 is a diagramillustrating an exemplary partial region of map data MI read into thestorage unit 33D from the map storage database 36 according to the firstembodiment. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary detectionresult actually detected by a laser sensor 24B of the control system 30according to the first embodiment. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating anexemplary state in which the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B has calculated a position and an azimuth directionof the own vehicle on the basis of a detection result actually detectedby a laser sensor 24B of the control system 30 according to the firstembodiment.

The flowchart of FIG. 15 will be described below. The travel controller20 of the control system 30 executes step ST1 to cause a dump truck 2 totravel by the dead reckoning navigation in accordance with course dataset for a travel route RP. Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 11,in a case where the frequency of position estimation by the deadreckoning navigation is higher than the frequency of detecting a GPSposition from the GPS receiver 31, the dead reckoning navigation isperformed a plurality of times in step ST1.

Next, after the GPS receiver 31 detects a GPS position, thedetermination unit 33A of the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 executes step ST2 to determine whetheraccuracy of the GPS position is highly accurate. More specifically, thedetermination unit 33A of the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 determines whether a solution of the GPSposition detected by the GPS receiver 31 is a fix solution. When thedetermination unit 33A of the scan matching navigation positionmeasurement controller 33 determines that a solution of the GPS positiondetected by the GPS receiver 31 is a fix solution, in other words,determines that accuracy of the GPS position of the dump truck 2detected by the GPS receiver 31 exceeds the predetermined accuracy (stepST2: Yes), the determination result is transmitted to the travelcontroller 20, and the travel controller 20 shifts a current travel modeto the GPS travel mode, or continues the GPS travel mode in a case wherethe current travel mode is already the GPS travel mode (ST3).

Next, map data creation processing is executed by the map data creationunit 33C (step ST4), and the map data creation unit 33C creates map dataMI. More specifically, the scan matching navigation position measurementcontroller 33 executes step ST4 to: cause the dump truck 2 toautonomously travel in accordance with course data stored in the routeposition storage unit 32A on the basis of the GPS position of the dumptruck 2 detected by the GPS receiver 31 and a position and an azimuthdirection calculated by the dead reckoning navigation; also extract adetection result related to a bank BK from a detection result obtainedby a laser sensor 24B; and store the extracted detection result relatedto the bank BK in the map storing database 36 as map data MI of thetravel route RP.

The flowchart in FIG. 16 will be described. First, on the basis of aposition and an azimuth direction of the dump truck 2, the observationpoint coordinate conversion unit 38 converts, into a coordinate positionindicated by X-Y coordinates, a position of a detection result obtainedby a laser sensor 24B and indicated by coordinates defined with adirection and a distance from the laser sensor 24B (step ST41).

The observation point availability determination unit 39 extracts adetection result related to a bank BK from the detection result obtainedby converting the coordinates by the observation point coordinateconversion unit 38 (step ST42). At the time of extracting a detectionresult related to a bank BK, the observation point availabilitydetermination unit 39 may remove various kinds of noise from thedetection result obtained by converting the coordinates by theobservation point coordinate conversion unit 38, and examples of variouskinds of noise may be: a detection result in which a laser beam seems todetect dust; a detection result in which a laser beam is reflected atthe ground; a detection result in which a laser beam seems to detect aclod of earth; and the like.

The observation point availability determination unit 39 outputs, to themap data creation unit 33C, the detection result from which variouskinds of noise and the like have been removed, and the map data creationunit 33C performs overwriting and stores, in the map storage database36, a position of a bank BK that is the detection result indicating theposition in the XY coordinate system as map data MI formed of the gridsGR (step ST43). As described above, the term “overwrite” means to changethe value to “1” (existing) in a case of receiving a detection result ofdetecting a new bank BK in a grid having been indicated by “0” (notexisting) till then, and also means to keep the value “1” even when adetection result of detecting no existence of a new bank in the gridhaving been indicated by “1” till then. Additionally, while accuracy ofa GPS position of the dump truck 2 detected by the GPS receiver 31exceeds the predetermined accuracy and the GPS travel mode is continued,the control system 1 continues, as needed, extracting a detection resultrelated to a bank BK from a detection result obtained by a laser sensor24B and performs overwriting to store the extracted detection resultrelated to the bank BK as the map data MI of the travel route RP byexecuting processing from step ST1 to step ST4.

Additionally, when the determination unit 33A of the scan matchingnavigation position measurement controller 33 determines that a solutionof a GPS position detected by the GPS receiver 31 is not a fix solution,in other words, determines that accuracy of the GPS position of the dumptruck 2 detected by the GPS receiver 31 is the predetermined accuracy orless (step ST2: No), the determination result is transmitted to thetravel controller 20, and the travel controller 20 shifts the currenttravel mode to the scan matching navigation travel mode, or continuesthe scan matching navigation travel mode in a case where the currenttravel mode is already the scan matching navigation travel mode (ST5).

More specifically, the scan matching navigation position calculationunit 33B calculates a position and an azimuth direction of the dumptruck 2 and causes the dump truck 2 to travel along a travel route RP onthe basis of detection data obtained by a laser sensor 24B and the mapdata MI stored in the map storage database 36 and read into the storageunit 33D (step ST6). In other words, the scan matching navigationposition measurement controller 33 calculates a position and an azimuthdirection of the dump truck 2 by matching a detection result obtained bythe laser sensor 24B with the map data MI stored the map storagedatabase 36. Meanwhile, even during the scan matching navigation travelmode, in a case where calculation of a position and an azimuth directionis performed by the scan matching navigation position calculation unit33B after performing the dead reckoning navigation several times withthe frequencies of calculating a position and an azimuth direction bythe dead reckoning navigation and the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B as illustrated in FIG. 12, a position and anazimuth direction calculated by the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B may be adopted as current position and azimuthdirection of the dump truck 2 instead of a position and an azimuthdirection of the dump truck 2 having been estimated by the deadreckoning navigation till then.

As illustrated in FIGS. 17 to 19, the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B calculates current position and azimuth directionof a dump truck from a detection result obtained by a laser sensor 24Bon the basis of the map data MI read into the storage unit 33D from themap storage database 36. In calculation by the scan matching navigationposition calculation unit 33B, a plurality of points (particles) PAvirtually arranged within a range where the dump truck 2 is expected toexist at a certain point of time is used so as to calculate a positionand an azimuth direction close to real values of the dump truck 2 whilesuppressing a calculation cost. Since self position estimation using theparticles is a known method, a detailed description thereof will beomitted.

In the map data MI illustrated in FIG. 17, each square represents a gridGR. Additionally, a colored grid DR1 is a grid where a bank BK isdetected, and a white-colored grid DR3 indicates a grid DR3 where nobank BK is detected. FIG. 18 illustrates detection data DR2 actuallydetected by a laser sensor 24B.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, a final estimation value (expected value) POof a position and an azimuth direction in which probability of existenceof the dump truck 2 is high is finally calculated by matching the mapdata MI illustrated in FIG. 17 with a detection result illustrated inFIG. 18 and obtained by a laser sensor 24B and using the method of selfposition estimation using the particles. In other words, the finalestimation value PO is not necessarily selected from a position whereany one of the particles PA has existed. As illustrated in FIG. 19, thescan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B calculates aposition and an azimuth direction (final estimation value PO) of thedump truck, and in this final estimation value, a grid DR1 where a bankBK is detected in the map data MI is closest to the detection data DR2actually detected by the laser sensor 24B. When the final estimationvalue PO is calculated, the scan matching navigation positioncalculation unit 33B also calculates: estimation accuracy indicatingsmallness of a difference between the final estimation value PO and anabsolute position of the dump truck 2; and reliability indicatingappropriateness (likelihood) of the final estimation value PO.Meanwhile, in FIGS. 17 to 19, a grid GR where a bank BK exists isindicated by dense parallel hatching, and a detection result of anactual bank BK is indicated by coarse parallel hatching.

Additionally, the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33Bdeems the calculated position and azimuth direction of the dump truck 2as the current position and azimuth direction of the dump truck, and thetravel controller 20 again executes the dead reckoning navigation (stepST1) and controls travel (operation) of the dump truck 2 such that thedump truck 2 travels along the travel route RP. Thus, while accuracy ofa GPS position of the dump truck 2 detected by the GPS receiver 31 isthe predetermined accuracy or less and also the scan matching navigationtravel mode is continued, the control system 30 continues calculating aposition and an azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 by matching adetection result obtained by a laser sensor 24B with the map data MI ofthe travel route RP stored in the map storage database 36 by executingthe processing in steps ST1, ST2, ST5, and ST6, and at the same time,the travel controller 20 makes the dump truck 2 travel along the travelroute RP by the dead reckoning navigation on the basis of the positionand the azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 calculated by the scanmatching navigation position measurement controller 33.

<Method of Setting Travel Route>

As described above, in a case where a dump truck 2 travels on a travelroute RP, a position and an azimuth direction of the dump truck 2derived by the dead reckoning navigation are corrected on the basis of aGPS position detected by the GPS receiver 31 in a case of the GPS travelmode, and current position and azimuth direction of the dump truck 2 arecorrected on the basis of a position and an azimuth direction calculatedby the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B in a caseof the scan matching navigation travel mode. In the followingdescription, controlling travel of a dump truck 2 by using a GPSposition that is a detection data detected by the GPS receiver 31 willbe suitably referred to as GPS travel, and controlling travel of a dumptruck 2 by using a position and an azimuth direction calculated by thescan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B will be suitablyreferred to as scan matching navigation travel.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a bank BK is provided in the vicinity of thehauling path HL. The dump truck 2 travels along a hauling route RP setby the processing device 12.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, course data CS that defines thetravel route RP in the hauling path HL is set such that a bank BK isarranged in a detection area by a laser sensor 24B. In FIG. 2, thecourse data CS is set such that only a bank BK on one side (on the leftside of an advancing direction) in the hauling path HL is detected bythe laser sensor 24B, but in a case where a lateral width of the haulingpath HL is short, banks BK on both sides of the hauling path HL may bedetected. The scan matching navigation position measurement controller33 can execute the map data creation processing and the scan matchingnavigation travel by the dump truck 2 traveling along the travel routeRP.

FIG. 20 is a plan view schematically illustrating a partial regionincluding a hauling path HL and a dump truck 2 traveling on the haulingpath HL in a mine. This plan view is formed of grids GR obtained bysectioning the region by a predetermined size, and for example, aplurality of colored grids DR1 is displayed in the vicinity of thehauling path HL due to a fact that an object (such as a bank BK) isdetected by a non-contact sensor. Additionally, a grid DR3 located in aregion outside the hauling path HL and not colored is a grid where anobject (such as bank BK) is not detected by the non-contact sensor. Inother words, this plan view includes map data MI.

The GPS receiver 31 can receive a signal from a GPS and detect anabsolute position of a dump truck 2, but in the event of ionospherescintillation or the like, there may be a case where a signal cannot bereceived from the GPS. The GPS receiver 31 is needed to receive signalsfrom a plurality of GPSs located in the sky in order to accuratelydetect an absolute position of a dump truck 2 with high accuracy.However, in a time zone during which ionosphere scintillation or thelike is occurring, the number of satellites from which the GPS receiver31 can receive signals is reduced, and therefore, accuracy of absoluteposition detection by a GPS is lowered. In other words, since accuracyof GPS position detection is lowered in the time zone during which theionosphere scintillation or the like is occurring, the dump truck 2cannot perform the GPS travel and has to perform the scan matchingnavigation travel. It is necessary to create map data of a hauling pathwhere the dump truck 2 travels before occurrence of ionospherescintillation or the like in order to prevent deterioration ofproductivity in mining.

In order to estimate a position of the dump truck 2 with high accuracyby the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B, forexample, the dump truck 2 is made to travel on a predetermined travelroute RP in the GPS travel mode (map data creation processing) and mapdata is created by making a non-contact sensor detect an object (such asbank BK) positioned in the vicinity of the travel route RP, in otherwords, a large number of colored grids DR1 are needed to be arranged inthe vicinity of the travel route RP.

The dump truck 2 is made to travel on a same travel route RP a pluralityof times and the number of the colored grids DR1 arranged in thevicinity of the travel route RP is increased, thereby achieving highperfection of map data of the travel route RP. In a case where the dumptruck 2 travels on the travel route RP having high perfection of mapdata by the scan matching navigation travel mode, an absolute positionof the dump truck 2 can be calculated with high accuracy by the scanmatching navigation position calculation unit 33B. Meanwhile, highperfection of map data may also be achieved by making a plurality ofdump trucks 2 travel along the same travel route RP and superimposingresults of map data created by the respective dump trucks 2.

The perfection of map data can be determined in an arbitrary region inthe vicinity of the travel route RP on the basis of a ratio between thecolored grids DR1 (first detection data) and the non-colored grids DR3(second detection data). For example, in a case where a ratio of thecolored grids DR1 is a predetermined value or more in a predeterminedregion in the vicinity of the travel route RP (similar to a case where aratio of the non-colored grids DR3 is less than a predetermined value),perfection of map data may be identified as high, and in a case wherethe ratio of the colored grids DR1 is less than the predetermined value,perfection of map data may be identified as low.

Meanwhile, to identify perfection of map data, determination may be madeon the basis of the number of times a dump truck 2 has traveled on acertain travel route. For example, in a case where the dump truck 2travels on the certain travel route predetermined number of times ormore, perfection of map data of the travel route may be determined ashigh, and as for a travel route where the dump truck 2 travels less thanthe predetermined number of times, perfection of map data may bedetermined as low.

Additionally, in a case of traveling on a certain travel route by theGPS travel to identify perfection of map data, a dump truck 2 travelswhile a position thereof is measure by using a GPS, and at the sametime, position calculation is performed by the scan matching navigationin the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B, andperfection of map data at a position on the travel route subjected toposition calculation may be identified on the basis of estimationaccuracy or appropriateness (likelihood) of a result obtained by theposition calculation. In that case, for example, in a case whereestimation accuracy or likelihood of the result obtained from theposition calculation by the scan matching navigation is high, perfectionof map data in the position can be determined as high, and in a casewhere estimation accuracy or likelihood of the result obtained from theposition calculation by the scan matching navigation is low, perfectionof map data in the position can be determined as low. In a case where aposition having low perfection of map data is continuous, as an area ora travel route having low perfection of map data may be identified.Additionally, for example, in a case of identifying a position, an area,or a travel route having low perfection of map data, such a position,area, or travel route is output to the display device 16, and asupervisor may be able to confirm the position, area, or travel routehaving the low perfection of the map data by displaying the position,area, or travel route on the display device 16.

As a criterion to identify that “map data has high perfection”,determination may be made on the basis of whether the ratio of thecolored grids DR1 is high in such a degree that the dump truck 2 canperform the scan matching navigation travel with sufficient accuracy ofan absolute position in the scan matching navigation travel mode.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, an area having high perfection of map data isset as a first area AR1, and an area having low perfection of map datais set as a second area AR2. In FIG. 20, an area other than the secondarea AR2 is set as the first area AR1, but a certain region may beidentified as the first area AR1. Identifying each of a first area AR1and a second area AR2 is performed by the identifying unit 14 of themanagement device 10, for example. A first area AR1 and a second areaAR2 are defined in the global coordinate system.

In a case where the identifying unit 14 determines whether a region inthe vicinity of the travel route of map data MI is a first area AR1 or asecond area AR2, determination can be made on the basis of whether theratio of the colored grids DR1 in a predetermined region in the vicinityof the travel route is a predetermined value or more as described above.In the case of the map data MI of FIG. 20, the ratio of the coloredgrids DR1 is less than the predetermined value in regions determined asthe second area AR2, and the ratio of the colored grids DR1 is largerthan the predetermined value in other regions determined as the firstarea AR1.

Here, a region in the vicinity of the travel route can be arbitrarilydetermined. For example, a region in the vicinity of the travel routemay be sectioned into certain number of sections, and a ratio of thecolored grids DR1 may be determined per section. Also, a ratio of thecolored grids DR1 may be determined per route having intersections IS atboth ends thereof. For example, in a case where a plurality ofintersections IS in FIG. 20 is defined as IS1, IS2, and IS3respectively, a region in the vicinity of a route having IS1 and IS3 atboth ends is an area having high perfection of map data because theregion is mostly formed of colored grids DR1, and in contrast, a regionin the vicinity of a route having IS1 and IS2 at both ends is an areahaving low perfection of map data because the region is mostly formed ofnon-colored grids DR3. Additionally, a lateral width of a region in thevicinity of the travel route with respect to the advancing direction canbe suitably set.

Meanwhile, a supervisor may also manually set a first area AR1 or asecond area AR2 by using the input device 17 (designation unit) of themanagement device 10. For example, a supervisor may designate an area byusing the input device 17 such as a mouse while referring to map data MIdisplayed on the display device 16. Then, area information designated bythe input device 17 (designation unit) is output to the identifying unit14 of the management device 10 in the same manner, and identified as afirst area AR1 or a second area AR2. Furthermore, a target to bedesignated by the input device 17 (designation unit) is not limited to aregion in the vicinity of the travel route, and for example, designationmay be made on a travel route itself. In that case, a first travel routehaving high perfection of map data and a second travel route having lowperfection of map data are designated by the input device 17.Additionally, information related to a first area AR1 or a first travelroute, or information related to a second area AR2 or a second travelroute designated by the input device 17 (designation unit) is output tothe travel route generation unit 19, and the travel route generationunit 19 may generate a travel route on the basis of the information fromthe input device 17.

Meanwhile, a target to be identified by the identifying unit 14 is notlimited to the example of identifying perfection of map data in a regionin the vicinity of a travel route, and a level of perfection of map datamay be identified per travel route or per hauling path.

The first area AR1 includes an area where a ratio of the colored gridsDR1 is a predetermined ratio or more because the dump truck 2 hastraveled in the past for the map data creation processing. On the otherhand, a second area AR2 includes an area where the dump truck 2 has nottraveled for the map data creation processing in the past. The secondarea AR2 also includes an area where a ratio of the colored grids DR1does not reach the predetermined ratio although the dump truck 2 hastraveled in the past for the map data creation processing.

The scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B calculates anabsolute position of a dump truck 2 by matching map data with detectiondata obtained by a laser sensor 24B at the time of detecting an objectsuch as a bank BK. However, even when a dump truck 2 attempts to performthe scan matching navigation travel along a travel route RP set in asecond area A2, perfection of map data in the second area A2 is not highenough, and therefore, the scan matching navigation position calculationunit 33B cannot calculate an absolute position of the dump truck 2 inthe second area AR2. Therefore, in a case where the dump truck 2 passesa second area AR2 in the scan matching navigation travel mode,accumulation of errors by the dead reckoning navigation is not resolved,and the dump truck 2 has to be stopped, for example.

When accuracy of GPS is lowered and the travel mode is switched from theGPS travel mode to the scan matching navigation travel mode because ofoccurrence of ionosphere scintillation or the like, in a case where asecond area AR2 exists inside a mine, a dump truck 2 may be stopped andproductivity may be deteriorated in the worst case when the dump truck 2attempts to pass the second area AR2 by the scan matching navigationtravel.

Therefore, in a situation where ionosphere scintillation or the likedoes not occur and accuracy of GPS is high enough to perform the mapdata creation processing by the GPS travel, it is desirable that:traveling is preferentially performed on a travel route having a secondarea AR2 in the vicinity; and a ratio of colored grids DR1 is increasedby detecting an object such as a bank BK existing in the second area AR2so as to switch the area to a first area AR1.

Therefore, the travel route generation unit 19 of the processing device12 is made to output data indicating a first area AR1 and dataindicating a second area AR2 identified by the identifying unit 14, andthe travel route generation unit 19 preferentially sets a travel routehaving the second area AR2 in the vicinity as a travel route RP where adump truck 2 is made to travel.

For example, in a case of making a dump truck 2 travel from a certainloading place LPAa to a certain discharging place DPAa and also in caseswhere: accuracy of GPS is high and a dump truck 2 travelsreciprocatingly between the certain loading place LPAa and the certaindischarging place DPAa in the GPS travel mode; there is a plurality ofhauling paths HL connecting the certain loading place LPAa to thecertain discharging place DPAa; one hauling path HLa out of thesehauling paths has, in an entire vicinity, a first area AR1; and ahauling path HLb that is another hauling path has, in a partialvicinity, a second area AR2, the travel route generation unit 19 setscourse data CS (travel route RP) in the hauling path HLb having secondarea AR2.

The travel controller 20 causes the dump truck 2 to travel in the GPStravel mode along the course data CS (travel route RP) set in the secondareas AR2.

The map data creation unit 33C creates map data of the second area AR2on the basis of detection data obtained by the GPS detector 31 anddetection data obtained by a laser sensor 24C provided in the dump truck2 traveling in the second areas AR2. The created map data of the secondarea AR2 is stored in the map storage database 36.

For example, in a case where a hauling path has a shape as illustratedin FIG. 20, when the dump truck 2 travels on the hauling path HLb havinglow perfection of map data, the dump truck 2 make a detour to adestination, and productivity may be temporarily deteriorated.Therefore, the dump truck 2 may be set to travel the hauling path HLbhaving the low perfection of map data until an entire region of thesecond areas AR2 is switched to a first area AR1 or until the dump truck2 travels predetermined number of times HLb.

Similar to FIG. 20, FIG. 21 is a plan view schematically illustrating apartial region of a mine in which perfection of map data in one haulingpath HLa is high and perfection of map data in the other hauling pathHLb is low. Different from FIG. 20, it is assumed that two dump trucks 2a and 2 b exist and each of the dump trucks travels from a differentposition toward the same destination. In this case, travel routes of thetwo dump trucks are usually set such that both of the two dump trucks 2a and 2 b pass the hauling path HLa that is the shortest routeconsidering productivity. The travel routes extending from therespective dump trucks 2 a and 2 b and indicated by solid lines in FIG.21 are travel routes for the two dump trucks 2 a and 2 b to pass thehauling path HLa that is the shortest route.

However, as described above, when a second area AR2 exists inside amine, it is desirable that a dump truck is made to preferentially travelon a travel route having the second area AR2 in the vicinity and thearea is switched to a first area AR1, and therefore, for example, thedump truck 2 a is made to pass the hauling path HLa having highperfection of map data and the dump truck 2 b is made to pass thehauling path HLb having low perfection of map data.

As a result thereof, the region of the second area AR2 can be switchedto the first area AR1 without impairing productivity. A travel routeextending from the dump truck 2 b and indicated by a broken line in FIG.21 is a travel route to make the dump truck 2 b pass the hauling pathHLb. Meanwhile, both of the dump trucks 2 a and 2 b may be made to passthe hauling path HLb having the low perfection of map data.

Next, a method of creating map data of a second area AR2 will bedescribed. FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method ofcreating map data of a second area AR2 according to the firstembodiment.

The map data creation unit creates map data by making a dump trucktravel in the GPS travel mode (step ST70).

The identifying unit 14 acquires a ratio of colored grids DR1 in anarbitrary region in the vicinity of a travel route inside the map data(step ST71).

The identifying unit 14 determines whether a region in the vicinity ofthe travel route is a first area AR1 or a second area AR2 (step ST72) onthe basis of the acquired ratio of the colored grids DR1.

The travel route generation unit 19 preferentially sets, as a travelroute RP where the dump truck 2 is made to travel, a travel route havinga second area AR2 in the vicinity (step ST73).

After course data CS is set in the travel route having the second areaAR2 in the vicinity, the travel controller 20 makes the dump truck 2travel in the second area AR2 on the basis of detection data obtained bythe GPS receiver 31 and the course data CS set in the second area AR2.During a travel period in which the dump truck 2 travels in accordancewith the course data CS set in the second area AR2, the scan matchingnavigation position measurement controller 33 detects a bank BK with alaser sensor 24B (step ST74).

The map data creation unit 33C creates map data of the second area AR2on the basis of detection data obtained by the GPS detector 31 anddetection data obtained by the laser sensor 24C provided in the dumptruck 2 traveling in the second area AR2 (Step ST75). The created mapdata of the second area AR2 is stored in the map storage database 36.

Meanwhile, in a case where GPS accuracy is not high and it is necessaryto travel in the scan matching navigation travel mode, the travel routegeneration unit 19 sets a travel route so as not to pass a travel routehaving, in the vicinity, the second area AR2 having low perfection ofmap data. The reason is that, when the dump truck 2 attempts to pass thetravel route having the second area AR2 in the vicinity in such a case,a dump truck 2 may be stopped and productivity may be deteriorated inthe worst case.

<Functions and Effects>

As described above, according to the first embodiment, in a case where asecond area AR2 having low perfection of map data exists in a mine, thesecond area AR2 is identified and then course data CS is intentionallyset in a travel route having the second area AR2 in the vicinity so asto increase a frequency of a dump truck 2 traveling on the travel routehaving the second area AR2 in the vicinity, and as a result, map data ofthe second area AR2 can be created by the dump truck 2 traveling alongthe course data CS.

The second area AR2 having the low perfection of map data is an areawhere positional data of a dump truck 2 cannot by acquired by the scanmatching navigation position calculation unit 33E. In a mine, in a casewhere there are a large number of second areas AR2 or a large rangethereof where the positional data of the dump truck 2 cannot be acquiredby the scan matching navigation position calculation unit 33B, a routewhere the scan matching navigation travel can be performed is limited.

Also, in a case where there are many second areas AR2 or a large rangethereof having low perfection of map data, a dump truck 2 cannot performthe scan matching navigation travel and has to travel in the GPS travelmode when a travel route RP is set in the second area AR2. Furthermore,in a situation where positional data of a dump truck 2 is hardlyacquired by the GPS detector 31 with high accuracy (for example, when afix solution cannot be obtained), the dump truck 2 can hardly travelalong a travel route RP set in the second area AR2, and the dump truck 2may be stopped in the worst case. Thus, in a case where a route wherethe scan matching navigation travel can be performed is limited or atravel route RP is set in the second area AR2 having the low perfectionof map data, deterioration of productivity of the dump truck 2 in a mineis caused.

In the first embodiment, in the case where accuracy of the GPS receiver31 is high, map data of the second area AR2 is actively created bypreferentially making the dump truck 2 travel on a travel route having asecond area AR2 in the vicinity. Therefore, since the number of optionsof routes where the scan matching navigation travel can be performed isincreased, deterioration of productivity of the dump truck 2 in a minecan be suppressed.

Furthermore, as described in the first embodiment, a dump truck 2traveling in a mine by receiving course data from the management device10 may travel on a travel route preliminarily set in coordinates, andtherefore, highly accurate map data having little variation can becreated by the map data creation processing during the GPS travel.Additionally, during the scan matching navigation travel, travel along atravel route same as that during GPS travel is performed, and therefore,highly accurate position calculation can be performed on the basis ofmap data created during the GPS travel.

Other Embodiments

Meanwhile, in steps ST70 to ST72 of an above-described embodiment, in acase where accuracy of a GPS detector 31 is frequently deteriorated in asecond area AR2 (for example, when a fix solution cannot be obtained), atravel route generation unit 19 does not have to intentionally setcourse data CS in the second area AR2. In a case where accuracy of theGPS receiver 31 is deteriorated in the second area AR2, the travel routegeneration unit 19 sets course data CS in a travel route having a firstarea AR1 having high perfection in the vicinity. Since course data CS isprevented from being set in an area where accuracy of the GPS receiver31 is frequently deteriorated, a dump truck 2 is made to travelsmoothly, and therefore, deterioration of productivity in a mine issuppressed.

Meanwhile, in a case where a plurality of dump trucks 2 travels in amine, a storage device 13 of a management device 10 may createintegrated map data by integrating first map data created on the basisof detection data obtained by a laser sensor 24B and detection dataobtained by a GPS detector 31 provided in a first dump truck 2 with andsecond map data created on the basis of detection data obtained by alaser sensor 24B and detection data of a GPS detector 31 provided in asecond dump truck 2. The first map data created by a map data creationunit 33C of the first dump truck 2 and the second map data created by amap data creation unit 33C of the second dump truck 2 are transmittedvia a communication system 9 to the management device 10 functioning asan integration unit. Consequently, the storage device 13 can create theintegrated map data by integrating the first map data with the secondmap data.

For example, as for a predetermined area in a mine, the predeterminedarea may be the first area AR1 in the first map data, and thepredetermined area may be the second area AR2 in the second map data.Since the first map data and the second map data are integrated and theintegrated map data is distributed to each of the first dump truck 2 andthe second dump truck 2, each of the first dump truck 2 and the seconddump truck 2 can travel while holding own map data in which thepredetermined area is the first area AR1. In this case, as for thesecond dump truck 2, the number of options of a route where the scanmatching navigation travel can be performed is increased by switchinguse of the second map data to use of the integrated map data.

Note that the integration unit to integrate the first map data with thesecond map data may be provided in a computer of at least one certaindump truck 2 out of the plurality of dump trucks 2. In this case, mapdata from other dump trucks 2 is transmitted to the certain dump truck2. The certain dump truck 2 integrates pieces of the map datatransmitted from other plurality of dump trucks 2 and creates integratedmap data, and then distributes the same to other dump trucks 2.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the travel routegeneration unit 19, an identifying unit 14, and a designation unit 17are provided in the management device 10 of a control facility 7disposed at a position different from a dump truck 2. The travel routegeneration unit 19, identifying unit 14, and designation unit 17 mayalso be provided in a computer of a dump truck 2. For example, a travelroute determination device 32 may function as the travel routegeneration unit 19, identifying unit 14, and designation unit 17.

Meanwhile, in each of the above-described embodiments, detection dataobtained by a laser sensor 24B of a non-contact sensor 24 is used duringscan matching navigation travel and during GPS travel (map data creationprocessing). Detection data obtained by a radar 24A of the non-contactsensor 24 may also be used at least one of during the scan matchingnavigation travel and during the GPS travel. Note that the non-contactsensor 24 may be any distance measuring sensor capable of measuring arelative position with respect to an object around a dump truck 2. Forexample, as the non-contact sensor 24, a camera that captures an opticalimage of an object around the dump truck 2 may also be used.

The constituent elements in the above-described embodiments may includethose readily conceivable by a man skilled in the art, thosesubstantially identical, and those included in a so-called equivalentscope. Furthermore, the constituent elements in the above-describedembodiments can be suitably combined. Additionally, some of constituentelements may not be used.

In the above embodiments, the identifying unit 14 identifies a region inthe vicinity of a travel route as a first area AR1 having highperfection of map data or as a second area AR2 having low perfection ofmap data, and the travel route generation unit 19 generates a travelroute so as to make a dump truck preferentially pass a travel routehaving a first area AR1 in the vicinity, but not limited thereto, forexample, the identifying unit 14 may identify a route having highperfection of map data (defined as a first area AR1 in a broad meaning)and a route having low perfection of map data (defined as a second areaAR2 in a broad meaning) per route having intersections IS at both endsthereof, and the travel route generation unit 19 may generate a travelroute so as to make a dump truck preferentially pass the route havingthe low perfection of map data. In that case, a route having the lowperfection of map data may be designated by the input device 17(designation unit).

Additionally, in the above-described embodiments, the method describedin the flowchart of FIG. 15 is used as the method of calculating aposition and an azimuth direction of a dump truck 2 by the scan matchingnavigation position calculation unit 33B, but not limited thereto, anymethod can be applicable as far as that is a method in which currentposition and azimuth direction of a dump truck 2 are calculated bycomparing a detection result obtained by a laser sensor 24B with storedmap data.

Additionally, in the above embodiment, whether a solution of a GPSposition detected by the GPS receiver 31 is a fix solution is determinedat the time of determining whether accuracy of a GPS position is highlyaccurate, but not limited thereto, accuracy of a GPS position may bedetermined to be highly accurate when a predetermined condition issatisfied even though a solution is a float solution, for example.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, a position and anazimuth direction are estimated by the dead reckoning navigation in bothof the GPS travel mode and the scan matching navigation travel mode, butthe dead reckoning navigation is not necessarily performed as far as acycle of detecting a detection signal from the GPS receiver or adetection signal from the scan matching navigation position calculationunit is substantially similar to that of the dead reckoning navigation.

Additionally, in the above-described embodiments, a map data creationunit 33C is provided inside a dump truck 2, but not limited thereto, forexample, the map data creation unit 33C may be provided in a computer 11inside the management device 10 or on a server provided in a differentplace, and a detection result obtained by a laser sensor 24B andnecessary information such as current position and azimuth direction ofthe dump truck 2 may be transmitted to the map data creation unit 33C.

Furthermore, a map storage database (map data) is provided inside a dumptruck 2, but not limited thereto, for example, the map data may be savedin the computer 11 inside the management device 10, on a server providedin a different place, or in a different mining machine 4 and the like,and the map data may be received from the outside of the dump truck 2before calculating a position and an azimuth direction of the dump truck2 by the scan matching navigation.

In the above embodiments, the description has been provided byexemplifying a mining machine used in a mine, but not limited thereto,and application to a work machine used in an underground mine and a workmachine used in a work site on the ground may also be possible. The workmachine includes a mining machine. Furthermore, as a “control system fora work machine”, the description has been provided by exemplifying acontrol system for a dump truck in a mine on the ground in theabove-described embodiments, but not limited thereto, also included is acontrol system for a work machine provided with a “position detectingdevice”, a “non-contact sensor”, and a “position calculation unit”,namely, a different mining machine in a mine on the ground, a workmachine in an underground mine, or a work machine used in a work site onthe ground (such as an excavator, a bulldozer, and a wheel loader).

Additionally, a position of a mining machine is detected by using a GPSdetector in the above-described embodiments, but not limited thereto, aposition of a mining machine may be detected on the basis of a known“position detecting device”. Particularly, since a GNSS cannot bedetected in an underground mine, it may be possible to use self positionestimation for a work machine or the like using known position detectingdevices such as an indoor messaging system (IMES), a pseudo satellite(pseudolite), a radio frequency identifier (REID), a beacon, a surveyinginstrument, a radio LAN, an ultra wide band (UWB), a simultaneouslocalization and mapping (SLAM), and a landmark (mark provided in thevicinity of a travel route). These position detecting devices may beused in a mining machine on the ground or a work machine used in a worksite on the ground.

Meanwhile, as an “object in the vicinity of a travel route”, includedare not only a bank, a side wall, and the like provided in a travelroute of a mine but also a wall surface of a travel route in anunderground mine, an embankment, a construction, an obstacle such as atree existing around a travel route of a work machine in a work site onthe ground.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1 Management system

-   2 Dump truck (mining machine)-   2E Engine-   2G Generator-   2S Steering device-   3 Different mining machine-   4 Mining machine-   5 Positioning satellite-   6 Repeater-   7 Control facility-   9 Communication system-   10 Management device-   11 Computer-   12 Processing device (course data creation unit)-   13 Storage device-   13B Database-   14 Identifying unit-   15 Input/output unit-   16 Display device-   17 Input device (designation unit)-   18 Radio communication device-   18A Antenna-   19 Travel route generation unit-   20 Travel controller (travel control unit)-   21 Vehicle body-   22 Vessel-   23 Wheel-   23B Braking device-   23F Front wheel-   23M Electric motor-   23R Rear wheel-   24 Non-contact sensor-   24A Radar-   24B Laser sensor-   26 Gyro sensor-   27 Speed sensor-   29 Interface-   30 Control system-   31 GPS receiver (position detecting device)-   31A Antenna-   31B Antenna-   32 Travel route determination device-   32A Route position storage unit-   33 Position measurement controller-   33A Determination unit-   33B Scan matching navigation position calculation unit (position    calculation unit)-   33C Map data creation unit-   33D Storage unit (second storage unit)-   33E Deriving unit-   34 Radio communication device-   34A Antenna-   35 First communication line-   36 Map storage database-   37A Second communication line-   37B Third communication line-   38 Observation point coordinate conversion unit-   39 Observation point availability determination unit-   40 Safety controller-   41 Gateway controller-   321 Input/output unit-   322 Arithmetic processing device-   323 Main memory (second storage unit)-   324 External storage device-   325 External storage device (first storage unit)-   331 Input/output unit-   332 Arithmetic processing device-   333 Main memory (second storage unit)-   334 External storage device-   335 External storage device (first storage unit)-   AR1 First area having high perfection of map data-   AR2 Second area having low perfection of map data-   BK Bank-   CR Crusher-   DPA Discharging place-   DR1 Colored grid (first detection data)-   DR2 Detection data-   DR3 White-colored grid (second detection data)-   GR Grid-   HL Hauling path-   IAH Irradiation area-   IAV Irradiation area-   IS Intersection-   KF Kalman filter-   LPA Loading place-   MI Map data-   MIf Identified map data-   MIm Management map data-   MIp Divided map data-   RP Travel route

1. A work machine management system, comprising: a position detectingdevice configured to detect a position of a work machine traveling on atravel route; a non-contact sensor configured to detect an object in avicinity of the travel route in a non-contact manner; map dataconfigured to accumulate information on existence and a position of theobject in the vicinity of the travel route on the basis of detectiondata obtained by the position detecting device and detection dataobtained by the non-contact sensor; a travel route generation unitconfigured to generate the travel route where the work machine travels;and an identifying unit configured to identify perfection of the mapdata.
 2. The work machine management system according to claim 1,wherein the travel route generation unit generates the travel routewhere the work machine travels on the basis of the perfection of the mapdata identified by the identifying unit.
 3. The work machine managementsystem according to claim 1, comprising an identifying unit configuredto identify: a first area having high perfection of map data of thetravel route where the work machine travels or a first travel routehaving high perfection of the map data; and a second area having lowperfection of the map data or a second travel route having lowperfection of the map data, wherein the travel route generation unitgenerates a travel route so as to cause the work machine topreferentially pass the second area or the second travel route.
 4. Thework machine management system according to claim 3, wherein theidentifying unit identifies, a first area having high perfection of themap data out of a region in the vicinity of the travel route where thework machine travels, or a first travel route having high perfection ofthe map data and a second area having low perfection of the map data ora second travel route having low perfection of the map data, and thetravel route generation unit generates a travel route so as to cause thework machine to preferentially pass a travel route having the secondarea in the vicinity or the second travel route.
 5. The work machinemanagement system according to claim 3, wherein the second area havingthe low perfection of the map data includes at least one of an areawhere no object is detected in the vicinity in the map data, an areawhere a ratio of a region where the object is detected in the vicinityof the travel route is a predetermined value or less, and a region inthe vicinity of the travel route where the work machine has travelledpredetermined number of times or less.
 6. The work machine managementsystem according to claim 3, wherein the second travel route having thelow perfection of the map data includes at least one of: a travel routein which the non-contact sensor cannot detect the object; a travel routein which the map data cannot be created; a travel route having vicinityin which a ratio of a region where the object is detected is apredetermined value or less; and a travel route in which the workmachine has traveled predetermined number of times or less.
 7. The workmachine management system according to claim 1, further comprising ascan matching navigation position calculation unit configured tocalculate a position of the work machine by matching a detection resultobtained by the non-contact sensor with the map data, wherein the scanmatching navigation position calculation unit calculates estimationaccuracy or likelihood of a calculation result, the identifying unitidentifies, on the basis of a calculation result of the estimationaccuracy or the likelihood and a position on a travel route for whichthe calculation has been executed, a first area having high perfectionof the map data or a first travel route having high perfection of themap data and a second area having low perfection of the map data of thetravel route or a second travel route having low perfection of the mapdata, and the travel route generation unit generates a travel route soas to cause the work machine to preferentially pass a travel routehaving the second area in the vicinity or the second travel route. 8.The work machine management system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a designation unit configured to designate an area or atravel route having the low perfection of the map data, wherein theidentifying unit identifies a second area or a second travel routehaving the low perfection of the map data on the basis of information onthe area or the travel route having the low perfection of the map dataobtained from the designation unit.
 9. The work machine managementsystem according to claim 1, comprising a first work machine and asecond work machine, wherein the work machine management system includesan integration unit configured to create integrated map data byintegrating first map data with second map data, the first map databeing created on the basis of detection data obtained by the positiondetecting device and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensorprovided in the first work machine, the second map data being created onthe basis of detection data obtained by the position detecting deviceand detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor provided in thesecond work machine.
 10. A work machine comprising the work machinemanagement system according to claim
 1. 11. A work machine managementsystem comprising: a position detecting device configured to detect aposition of a work machine traveling on a travel route; a non-contactsensor configured to detect an object in a vicinity of the travel routein a non-contact manner; map data configured to accumulate informationon existence and a position of the object in the vicinity of the travelroute on the basis of detection data obtained by the position detectingdevice and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor; a travelroute generation unit configured to generate the travel route where thework machine travels; and a designation unit configured to designate afirst area having high perfection of map data or a first travel routehaving high perfection of map data and a second area having lowperfection of map data or a second travel route having low perfection ofmap data, wherein the travel route generation unit generates a travelroute so as to cause the work machine to preferentially pass the secondarea or the second travel route on the basis of information from thedesignation unit.
 12. A work machine management system, comprising: aposition detecting device configured to detect a position of a workmachine; a non-contact sensor configured to detect an object in avicinity of a travel route where the work machine travels in anon-contact manner; map data configured to accumulate information onexistence and a position of the object in the vicinity of the travelroute on the basis of detection data obtained by the position detectingdevice and detection data obtained by the non-contact sensor; a travelroute generation unit configured to generate the travel route where thework machine travels; and an identifying unit configured to identify anarea or a travel route having low perfection of map data, wherein thetravel route generation unit generates a travel route so as to make thework machine pass a travel route having, in the vicinity, the areahaving the low perfection of the map data or the travel route having thelow perfection of the map data in a case where the position detectingdevice is effective, and generates a travel route so as to make the workmachine pass a travel route other than the travel route having, in thevicinity, the area having the low perfection of the map data or thetravel route having the low perfection of the map data in a case wherethe position detecting device is not effective.